Flue-scraper.



H. S. B. BRINDLEY.

I FLUE SOBAPER. "APPLICATION FILED PEB.'17, 1913.

Patented N0v.10, 1914.

INVENTOR' ."fifirm TORNEYSI HARRY SAMUELBICKERTQIN BRINDLEY, orwnsrlvrmsrnn, tonnomniiannnny ASSIGNOR T0 nornnn soaLnns LIMITED, on WES'I' MINSTEBZ,. L OliDpN," ENGLAND.

To all whom itmay concern: Be it known that-I, HARRY ER'ION BRINDLEY, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residingat 'Queen Annes Chambers, Westminster, London, S. WK, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flue-5 Scrapers, of which the following isa specification. 1 This invention relates to impgovements in connection with apparatus to be .used for cleaning and scaling tubes, conduits and the like and has more particular reference to that class of apparatus in which a number of cutters are adapted to be driven against the scale or other material to be removed from the pipe or the:like by means of blows from a pneumatic or other hammer or like device. 1 The object of the present invention is to produce a device of the above nature capable of performing its functions in an efficient manner while at the same time being extremely flexible and especially adaptable for dealing with curved or irregular tubes.

The invention consists in tube cleaning or like apparatus comprising a cutter or cutters, means for operating the cutters and resilient means for retaining the cutters pressed against the surface of. the tube or the like to be scaled. Y

The invention also consists in tube-scaling or like apparatus as above refer-red to in which a spring-pressed ferrule having inclined faces adapted to engage similar faces upon the cutter or cutters is employed as the resilient means for retaining the cutters in their position. a

The invention also consists in other de tails hereinafter more particularly referred to. The accompanying drawings illustrate two modes of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation showing .one convenient form of tubev cleaning apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 illustrates a modification and its mode of operatlon when cleaningv a curved or irregular tube.

In carrying my invention into effect in one convenient manner when constructing apparatus for cleaning or scaling boiler tubes I arrange a cutter composed of a number of cutting elements a having each one or SAMUEL BucK specification of Letters Iatjnt. Patentd NbV-. 1 I l more desired withinthe outer end of the barrel "or cylin'cler, bofthe pneumatic hammer or within an extension 3 thereof and to the cylinder-b I attachflby,

screwingior. otherwise a central rod or shaft 0,3.the piston d or the "pneumatic hammer being adaptedfto surround the shaft and being operated in any usual or desired inan- The cutters-a are held in their outermost pos1t1on',.thatbis," so that they press Q ner.

against thewalls'ofthe tube or'the like to becleaned by means of .anexpander 6 held 7 111 place byja suitable spring 7, the; latter in.

turnjbeing securely retained in position by means of a capg screwed or otherwiseses5 is cured to the end of the rod or shaftc and.

proyided with any convenient restraining device as the spring .washer h for the pur pose of holding the cap firmly in position.

The' expander e and cutters a are formed with inclined engaging faces c'iso that under the action. of the spring fthe expander forces the cutter outward while itwill be seen that the arrangementas a whole is extremely flexible and particularlysuited for dealing vwith curved or irregulartubes, the inner ends of the expander and the cutting elements being preferably rounded as shown to increase the flexibility. Further, the expander is itself preferably formed with a corrugated or other suitable face m so that it mayact when desired as an auxiliary cutting element particularly suitable for dealing with thickscale.

Fig. 2 illustrates a slightly modifiedform of apparatus and shows itsmode of operation when dealing witlra curvedor irregular tube.

If desired5'in any modification of m invention I provide a; plurality of serrationsk I in suchav manner as toform cutting faces upon the cutter surfaces of the cutters a,

the grooves preferably commencing just be- 0 low the circumferentialv cutting edge 'or edges so as not to injure the tubes and being particularly advantageous vfor dealing with thin scale. The cutting edges themselves are spaced some'little distance apart from one another.) f

By reason of, my method of anchoring the cutters by meansof the central rod' 0 the' cutters are freeto rotate about the stalkand in practiceqdo rotate in this manner,* thus -myself to any particular constructional de-t tailshereinbefore given by Way of example obviating the necessity for the turning of the tool 'by the operator during the scaling operation.

It will be obvious that I may suitably modify the form of cutters and the construction of the devices 'v'hen dealing with fiat surfaces and I do not Wish to con-fine nor to any particular application described, and I may modify the form ofcu'tti'ng ele-' ments to suit any particular practical re-' quirements.

the expander yieldingly in engagement With the cutter; and a piston mounted to reciproc'a'te Withinthe cylinder and'sli'da'ble upon therod into engagement with the cutter.

2. In a tube cleaning apparatus; a cylinder; an ex ansible' cutter carried by one end of the cylinder; a rod extending axially through; the cylinder and through the cutter an expander mounted slidably upon the rod a spring adapted to hold the expander yieldinglyin engagement with the cutter; an adjusting nut adapted to vary the tension' on the spring; and a piston mounted two subscribing Witnesses.

HARRY SAMUEL BIGKERTON BRINDLEY. Witnesses: f

O. J. WORTH,

'C. RLIDDoN.

cdpiel bt this-patent 'meybe obtained for fivecnts each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

r j Washingthxi-,D.O. 

